Method of repairing cable terminal binding posts



p 19, 1939- J. w. CHANNELL. 2,173,327

METHOD OF REPAIRING CABLE TERMINAL BINDING POSTS Filed Feb. 21, 1939 Ila ifffiifi 3 g1, 13 r MEN-TOR A J W Channell 20 BY 19" 5 ATTORNIIEY P'atenterl' Sept. 19, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE METHOD OF REPAIRING CABLE TERMINAL BINDING POSTS Application February 21, 1939, Serial No. 257.716

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a method and means for repairing broken binding posts of cable terminal boxes.

Trouble has been experienced in the interruption of telephone service due to broken or damaged binding posts of cable terminal boxes. In accordance with well known practice, these binding posts are mounted in an insulating plate enclosed in the cable box, and have terminals appearing on each face of the plate to which electrical conductors are connected. Electrical circuits are completed over these conductors, and through the binding posts when they are in normal or operative condition. It will be understood, of course, that the continuity of the cir cuits is interrupted when the binding posts become broken by season cracks, undue strain in tightening the posts, or other reasons. When this happens, interruption in the service occurs and much time and expense is involved due to the replacement of the terminal or abandonment of the broken posts in order that the service may be restored.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a method by means of which the broken binding posts may be repaired in an inexpensive and expeditious manner.

. This and further objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing.

Referring to the drawing, Figure l is a perspective view of the cable terminal box in slightly tilted position, and with its cover raised to expose the interlor thereof. The normal position of the box is indicated by dotted lines.

Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1, showing the location of a break in the binding post at the rear of the face plate.

Fig. 3 is a section similar to that of Fig. 2, showing a binding post cutter applied to one of the posts to remove the spinning or upset end. Fig. 4 is a section showing the application of an injector and a dropping tube containing a supply of conductive fluid material to be introduced through the injector to flll the gap in the broken binding post.

Fig. 5 is a section similar to Fig. 4, showing a machine screw substituted for the dropping tube for the purpose of causing or forcing the conductive fluid material to enter and fill the gap of the broken binding post, and

Fig. 6 is a section showing the binding post in normal horizontal .position, and with the conductive fluid material filling the gap and restoring the continuity of the defective binding pos v The cable terminal box 8 is of well known construction, in which the interior is filled with a molten asphaltic compound which completely 5 surrounds the cable conductors and that portion of each binding post which extends through the face plate into the sealing chamber. In accordance with this well known construction just outlined, it will be obvious that when the ini0 sulating compound congeals upon cooling, it provides adequate support for the head of a broken post to maintain it in place on the terminal box, even though a gap or break may occur between the post head and its shank. This terminal box 15 is shown' in the drawing as being mounted on a supporting surface 6. The bolts at the bottom of the box (not illustrated), are removed and the upper bolts are loosenedto permit the box to be rotated from its normal position as shown by dotted lines, to a slightly tilted position, as indicated. The box is raised to this latter position so that the defective binding post may be repaired more readily as will presently appear.

A suitable block 'i is placed between the supporting surface 6 at the box 5 to hold the box in this temporary tilted position,-and a cover 8 for the terminal box may be held in open position by the arm 9, in a well understood manner, so that access may be had to the interior of said box.

A face plate It is carried in the terminal box 5 and provides a mounting for a plurality of binding posts Ii. The shanks of these binding posts extend through the face plate and are provided at one end with a head including a circular portion I! which is of larger diameter than the shank and abuts the surface of one side of the face plate. This circular head has a lug i3 attached thereto which provides a connecting terminal for a conductor l4 incoming to the terminal box. A shoulder i5 connects with and extends inwardly from the circular head portion and is provided with squared sides which fit into walls of like shape in the face plate. The threaded shank portion of the binding post extends through and outwardly from the front surface of the plate I. a sufllcient distance to permit the application of a washer it, which is preferaby made of fiber, and also nuts ll. The threads at the extremity of the extended portion of the binding post are upset to prevent the dislodgement of the washers and nuts.

A break in the binding post caused by any of the various reasons previously outlined usually occurs at the meeting point of the square shoulder and circular portion I? as shown at I8 in the drawing. This break is repaired by means of this invention as follows:

When the terminal box has been tilted, a previously described, a binding post cutter I9 is applied to a broken binding post to remove its upset end shown in Fig. 3. The nuts I! and washer l6 may then be removed from the shank so that the binding post lies loosely in the face plate I, and a wedge or toothpick 20 may be applied between the wall of the plate and surface of the post, as illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5. This serves to tilt the post slightly upward to provide a less unobstructed path for the introduction of fluid conductive material, such as mercury, around the post and to fill the gap at the broken portion l8. A suitable washer may be now applied around the binding post and against the surface of the face plate l0, and an injector or filler tool 2| is screwed on the extended end of the binding post to a point where it bears against the washer, as shown in Fig. 4. The injector tool is provided with a central bore 22 which communicates with a longitudinal slot 23. This slot extends to the engaged end of the tool and provides a path over which the fluid conductive material, or mercury, may flow around the broken binding post to fill the gap I8 and restore the continuity of the post. This material may be supplied by means of a dropping tube 24 connected to a suitable container (not shown) in which a quantity of the substance is held. After a sufficient amount of the. mercury, or other substance, has been applied, a machine screw 25, or the like, is threaded into the injector, as shown in Fig. 5, for the purpose of forcing the mercury around the broken binding post and into the gap. The injector 2| with its screw 25 may be now withdrawn from the repaired binding post and the nuts and washer replaced. After these operations have been per formed, the binding post is subjected to a test to determine its electrical continuity, after which the terminal box and its associated elements are restored to normal position.

While there is shown and described herein a certain preferred form of the invention, by way of illustration, it is understood it is. not limited nor confined to the. precise details of construction herein described and delineated, as modification and variation may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a terminal box having an insulating-plate in which a plurality of threaded terminal members are mounted, the method of completing a circuit through a broken terminal member which consists in tilting the insulating plate so that the terminal member will lie at an angle to the horizontal, removing the nuts from the threaded terminal member, forcing fluid conductive material into the space between the broken terminal member and'the portion of the mounting plate surrounding it to fill in the gap between the broken parts of the terminal member so that a circuit may be completed therethrough, replacing the nuts on the terminal member to seal said space, and then restoring the insulating plate to its normal position so that the terminal member is again horizontal.

2. In a terminal box having an insulating plate in which a plurality of threaded terminal members are mounted, the method of completing a circuit through a broken terminal member which consists in tilting the insulating plate so that the terminal member will lie at an angle to the horizontal, removing the nuts from the threaded terminal member, causing fluid conductive material to enter the space between the broken terminal member and the portion of the mounting plate surrounding it, replacing the nuts on the terminal member to seal said space, and then restoring the insulating plate to its normal position so that the terminal member is again horizontal, thereby enabling the fluid conductive material to fill in the gap between the broken parts of the terminal member so that a circuit may be completed therethrough.

JAIWES W. 

